Machine for digging potatoes



0. L.- ZEUTHEN.

MACHINE FOR ,DIGGING POTATOES.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 3, 1 921.

aw m Patelitedsept. 12,1922.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

0. L. ZEUTHEN.

MACHINE FOR DIGGING POTATOES. APPLICATlON FILED FEB. 3. 1921.

Patented Sept. 12, 1922.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

0. L. ZEUTHEN. MACHINE FOR D|G Gl-NG iOTATOES. APPLICATION FILED FEB.3,4921.

. I I PatentedSept. 1 922. I a SHEETS-S 34 Patented Sept. 12, 1922.

' -UNITED STATES OTTO LUDVIG ZEU'IHEN, 01E BAGSVAERD, DENMARK.

MACHINE FOB DIGGING POTATOES.

Application filed February 3, 1921. Serial No. 442,079.

the Kingdom of Denmark, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Machines for Digging Potatoes, of which the following isa specification.

The present invention relates to a machine for digging potatoes andcleaning these from earth and roots and thereupon filling the potatoesinto baskets or sacks.

In the accompanying drawing a constructional form of the machine isshown.

Fig. 1 is a side elevation in which, for reason of greater simplicity,some parts have been omitted.

Fig. 2 is a top view of the machine, in which likewise some parts havebeen omitted.

Fig. 3 is a section on the line 8-3 in- Figs. 1 and 2. 1

Fig. 4 is a section on the line lt inFigs. land 2.

The potato-digger is drawn by horses or a tractor engine so that thewheels A, which are provided with grapples and are fitted to a shaft B,will run with a row of p0tatolants between them. The shaft B runs inbearings f, which are fitted to a frame D, and drives by means of abevel gear E another bevel gear F. This bevel gear F is fitted to theone end of a shaft J extending through the centre of the drums G and H.The sail shaft J is journalled in bearings K and T which are likewisefitted to the frame D. The bearing L has a pin which fits into a slot Min the front part 0 of a sack-truck N, Fig. 4:, and which, on the otherside of this front part terminates in a handle P, to which aspring-operated catch Q is attached. By means of the handle P a manstanding on the sack truck can lift or lower the plough-share S. Thisadjustable plough-share is fitted to the frame and will dig-up earth andpotatoes, which are conducted into the drum G. This drum consists of anumber of iron rods, fitted to the frame and bent in such a manner thatthey form a cylinder, open at one side, concentrical around the shaft J.The said rods are disposed at such a distance from each other that earthand small stones, but no potatoes can drop through between them. On theshaft J are fitted a plurality of sleeves T, which carry oblique bladesor shovels U which, when the'shaft revolves in the direction of thearrow (Fig. 3) will break up the earth and force it through the spacesbetween the rods, or drive it, together with the potatoes, rearwardtowards the drum H. The hooks a, which are pivoted on a pin .7) and areby means of springs held in the position shown in Fig. 3, serve to breakup the potato plants with the potatoes hanging thereto when, at therotation of the blades, these are carried around. The opening in theside of the cylinder, seen in Fig. 3, is provided for the said plantsand roots, which are. carried round by the blades, to be ejected throughit.

The drum H is made'of the same diameter as thedrum G and is likewisecomposed of a plurality of rods disposed with spaces between them, but.these rods are .secured to arms C which are secured to the shaft andrevolve with it. When the potatoes or larger stones are conducted by theblades U intothe drum H, they will be lifted by shovels (Z fitted to thesaid arms (I, up to a shoot 6 andwill fall into the latter. A flangescreen 7) is provided to prevent the potatoes from falling out from thedrum. From the shoot 6 they slide down into a sack, basket or the likesecured on the sacktruck N. The latter sack-truck may be made so wide,that two men can stand on it, namely one to attend to the sacks, and theother to pick the stones from the shoot.

I claim:

1. A potato digging machine comprising a wheel frame, a plowsharesupported by said frame, a skeleton cylinder fixed on said frame andadapted to receive potatoes released by said plowshare, said fixedcylinder being open at its rear end, a longitudinal shaft supported onsaid frame and driven from the supporting wheels thereof, a rotaryskeleton cylinder supported on said shaft and provided with an openforward end which registers with the open rear end of said stationaryskeleton cylinder, a series of oblique blades supported by said shaftwithin said stationary cylinder and operative to pass the potatoesthrough the rear end opening of said stationary cylinder into saidrotary cylinder.

2. A potato-digging machine consisting of a frame running on wheels, ashaft longitudinally journalled on said frame, means for driving saidshaft from the said frame wheels, a plough-share adjustably attachedrevolve with said shaft, shovels on said arms adapted to liftpotatoesand stones,

- a discharge shoot for receiving the potatoes from saidshovels andconducting them out ofthe machine, and a flange at'the' end of saidsecond cylinder for preventing the potatoes from falling out.

f der concentric to said shaft, andhaving an openmgat one side, saidrods belng d1s-c posed with spaces between them, a series 3; Apotato-digging machine consistingof a frame running on wheels, a shaftlongitudinally journalled on said frame, means for driving said'shaftfrom thesaid frame wheels, a plough-shareadjustably attached tosaid'frame, a series of rods arranged around said shaft and bent to forma cylin- -of oblique blades fittedito said shaft within said cylinder, aseries of arms fitted to the shaft behind said" cylinder, rods attachedto said arms and bent to form a cylinder concentric to said shaft and ofthe same 'diamblades fitted to said shaft within eter asthe firstcylinder, and adapted to revolve with said shaft, shovels on said armsadapted to lift potatoes and stones, a discharge shoot'for receiving thepotatoes from said shovels and conducting them out ofthe machine, aflange at the end of the second cylinder preventing the potatoes fromfalling out, and a low truck to carry the sacks and the crew forvattending the machine and sacks. I

a. A'potato-diggmg machine-comprising a wheel frame, a plowsharesupported by said frame,- a skeleton cylinder fixed on said frame andadapted toreceive potatoes released by said plowshare, said fixed cyl-'inder being open atits rear1end,and provided wit-h a side opening, alongitudinal from the supporting wheels thereof, a rotary skeletoncylinder supported onsaid shaft and provided withian open forward endwhich registers with the open rear ,end

shaft supported on said frame and driven of said stationaryskeletoncylindena se ries of oblique blades supported by said shaftwithin said stationary cylinder and operative to pass the vines throughsaid side. opening and the potatoes through the rear end opening of saidstationary cylinder into said-rotary cylinder.,- -f I In testimonywhereof I have afliizedmy signature.

oTTo ,LUDVI'G memes; 1

